


Where Love Exists

by SuperBlondie



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fluff, Kid Fic, Kid!Sehun, Light Angst, M/M, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-11 18:06:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19114933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperBlondie/pseuds/SuperBlondie
Summary: Junmyeon's interest in humans has always been a source of confusion. Their forms, their languages, their customs, Yifan has stood by and indulged his mate's every interest, every whim. Nothing truly bothered him so long as it made Junmyeon happy. And then they find a human infant abandoned in the snow, and Yifan isn't sure if he can indulge Junmyeon this time.written for Rock A Bye FestRB040





	Where Love Exists

**Author's Note:**

> ### Mod Notes
> 
> This work is written for the 2019 Rock A Bye Fic Fest: Round 1. We hope you enjoy! Make sure to give our writers all the love that they deserve~ Authors will be revealed on June 25!  
>  **Prompt:** RB040  
>  **Word count:** 11,055  
>  **Rating:** Mature  
>  **Pairing:** Kim Junmyeon/Wu Yifan  
>  **Characters:** Kim Junmyeon, Kim Minseok, Lu Han, Oh Sehun, Wu Yifan  
>  **Side pairing/s:** Kim Minseok/Lu Han
> 
>  **Warning/s:** None
> 
> ### Author's Notes
> 
> Hi all! I hope you enjoy my fic! I really enjoyed writing and I'm very happy with the outcome!!
> 
> A big thank you to my beta, who will be revealed when I am revealed!

Yifan is happy. How could he not be? He traces the curve of Junmyeon’s cheek, brushes away the smudge of dirt. Human skin is soft under Yifan’s fingers and he almost understands why Junmyeon always stays in this form. A small human male with brown hair, unnaturally pretty in the way their kind tends to be, soft skin and shorter limbs. Yifan prefers their true forms, long, lean, something so wholly _other._ But Junmyeon loves this form, and so Yifan spends his time as another human male, taller and pretty – not as pretty as Junmyeon though.

Yifan’s mate has always been so unendingly pretty. From the moment Yifan saw him all those centuries ago, he wanted to have that beauty, keep it safe and shining with happiness. Yifan likes to think that he’s done just that. Yifan learned him inside and out, every little thing, every want or desire, and served them to him as a good mate should.

And Junmyeon is always so happy.

Junmyeon wants for nothing, and through that, Yifan wants for nothing as well. Yifan does what he wants, stalks through the sprawling lands of their domain in his true form, floats in and out of time at will, crawls through the dirt and warms himself in the heart of the world. But nothing is quite as pleasing as Junmyeon’s smile, his voice, his touch, his _attention_.

The forests can burn, the world can split in two, time itself can cease to exist, but so long as Yifan is being graced by the light of Junmyeon’s being, he wouldn’t care.

And so, Yifan is happy. He is happy to curl around Junmyeon’s body in the darkness of their winter home. Junmyeon tenses, not quite a shiver as their kind don’t know the bite of the cold, but a show of discomfort all the same. Yifan pulls up the blanket he won off Minseok in a chase up from where it had bunched at their feet.

“Better,” he whispers. Junmyeon nods and reaches back to grasp Yifan’s hand in his own. Leaves rustle underneath them as Junmyeon squirms back into Yifan’s chest. Yifan wraps his arm around Junmyeon’s waist to hold him tighter. Bare skin rubs together. Junmyeon’s waist is soft, warm, and yielding under Yifan’s fingertips; touching is never quite as nice as this in their true forms.

“I would devour you, if I could.” Yifan presses kisses along Junmyeon’s neck, down to the slope of his shoulder. He lets sharp teeth grow out past his lips and brush against the soft skin.

Junmyeon laughs. His cheeks heat and he squeezes Yifan’s hand, heart fluttering as it did on the day they mated, the day Yifan first said those words. “And I would let you.” Yifan smiles. Quietly, hesitantly, Junmyeon traces out a shape on the back of Yifan’s hand and stumbles over the words, “I love you.”

Yifan sighs. He isn’t sure when or why Junmyeon’s fascination with those words started. It’s a mortal notion, a _human_ notion. It has no place in their mouths. It means _nothing_ to Yifan. But it means something to Junmyeon.

“And I, you, Junmyeon.” Under his breath, he hisses out Junmyeon’s true name, the name no human could ever learn to pronounce, the name no one else will ever learn, the name Yifan wasn’t graced with until he sunk his teeth into Junmyeon’s flesh and pledged his undying loyalty. Junmyeon shivers and sighs.

Yifan leans up on his elbows and pulls Junmyeon to lay flat on his back, blanket falling off to the side. He hisses again, a swear, a threat, a _promise_ , and watches as the blush spreads down Junmyeon’s neck to his chest. Junmyeon’s voice pitches up as he whines out a response, legs parting to make room for Yifan’s hips. Yifan grins. He waits for Junmyeon’s body to shift in the gorgeous creature Yifan first saw centuries ago, his own skin stretching tight as he prepares to break free of this form.

As beautiful as Junmyeon is in this human form, in _any_ form, nothing compares to this. He is as he is meant to be. Yifan trails fingers, long, gnarled, and tipped with claws more dangerous than any mountain lion or bear, down Junmyeon’s skin as it splits open and shows Yifan the Junmyeon he took as a mate so long ago.

Discomfort flashes across Junmyeon’s eyes for just a moment. Yifan frowns and traces the newly sharpened angles of his cheek. Yifan doesn’t understand, but Junmyeon offers no explanation, just reaches up to touch, and so he throws himself into chasing the discomfort out of Junmyeon’s body any way he can.

* * *

 

Winter slowly gives way to spring. Junmyeon flourishes in the warmer weather, smile glowing radiant and lovely in a way it never quite does in the deepest, darkest storms of winter.

Spring storms rage around them as they run through the trees. Yifan shifts from one form to another and watches as Junmyeon stays in his soft human skin, content to play the prey to Yifan’s predator. Yifan finds it strange that his mate would choose to stay in such a weak, clumsy body. Junmyeon does as he pleases though, always has and likely always will, so Yifan never questions him. He just chases Junmyeon through the forest and takes what is rightfully his when he catches him.

“The deer should be giving birth soon, shouldn’t they,” Junmyeon asks one afternoon. The air is still tinged with winter’s cold, but Junmyeon doesn’t seem to mind. He stares up at the sky and refuses to look away. His hands curl into fists in the dirt as birds chirp overhead, singing sweetly to their chicks and fledglings.

Yifan watches on in concern. He leans over, curls his body around Junmyeon’s, and presses his lips to his forehead. Junmyeon hardly reacts. His eyes are so distant, clouded over with something Yifan doesn’t recognize.

“I believe so. All the creatures do around this time of year. You know that.”

Junmyeon nods. His jaw tenses. “Yes,” he says bitterly, “I do.” He refuses Yifan’s comfort, pulls out of Yifan’s arms and ducks away from his touch. It’s unlike any Junmyeon Yifan has ever seen.

A fox wanders by, a newborn kit that must have been born too early dangling from its mouth by the scruff. Junmyeon’s face twists and Yifan feels his chest do the same. “Junmyeon, my mate, come here. Let me hold you.” But Junmyeon simply shakes his head and stands, brushing dirt off of his skin.

“I need to run, Yifan. I’ll be home before nightfall.” Junmyeon sprints into the forest and away from Yifan. Yifan watches him go; it feels like his heart has been ripped out from his ribs and crushed between the foot of a giant. He calls gently for Junmyeon. Nothing like this has ever happened. Not in the centuries since Yifan first laid eyes on Junmyeon have they parted like this – _willingly_. Yifan knows Junmyeon won’t go far, that he’ll return, but the distance aches. Not knowing what has Junmyeon so twisted and miserable hurts more.

Yifan stands, unable to shake the frown off his face, and lets his body dissolve into smoke and darkness, darting into the shadows and following after Junmyeon’s footsteps. He follows them all the way to the darkest part of the forest, where creatures strange and dangerous live under the rule of the darkest of Yifan’s kind.

He watches as Junmyeon falls to his knees before Minseok. He watches as his mate, the creature he promised to protect, indulge, _serve_ , collapses into the arms of another. Junmyeon’s best friend holds him with an understanding Yifan cannot comprehend. Jealousy burns within him.

As shadow, he can’t hear what they say, only see the shape of their lips. He can only watch as Junmyeon buries his head in Minseok’s chest and cries. Yifan isn’t sure he’s ever seen Junmyeon cry before. Once, when Junmyeon convinced Yifan to take him in human form, Yifan was graced with his tears of pleasure, but Yifan has never truly seen his mate cry.

He _hates_ it; the sight makes him nauseous, makes him want to tear up trees by their roots. He can’t stand to see it.

Yifan races back through the shadows until he flings himself back into being outside of the entrance to their winter cave. He crawls down into the dark and stares out into the void, emotions raging in his chest worse than any storm. There are too many for him to name, too many to process. There is nothing he can do but let himself be tossed about like a primitive human vessel in the sea.

When the air turns colder with the setting of the sun, Junmyeon stumbles into the cave. He stumbles into Yifan’s arms and collapses there as though it’s his only sanctuary.

Yifan opens his mouth to question him, but Junmyeon simply tucks his face into the crook of Yifan’s neck. “I love you.” Junmyeon’s voice is hoarse, desperate like a human’s prayer to God for life. “I love you more than I can bear, Yifan.”

It is not their words. Those are not the things they are supposed to say. _Love_ is incomprehensible to their kind – it is supposed to be. But Junmyeon speaks with such reverence, such devotion and loyalty, that Yifan can only hold him tighter and pray that he is offering Junmyeon some sort of solace.

* * *

 

Winter makes one last stand. It snows, a horrible, howling blizzard. All the animals take shelter, birds hiding from the deadly cold in Junmyeon and Yifan’s spring cave. Even Luhan and Minseok, hidden away in their realm, refuse to go outside.

Yifan convinces Junmyeon to go out regardless. Yifan has never been the one to pull Junmyeon outside in the cold, content to lie with his mate until the weather is more reasonable – Junmyeon’s mood has only soured with the time spent in the cave though. With every passing day, he has withdrawn further and further into himself. Some unknown thread has snapped and left him this sorrowful creature.

Junmyeon takes every bit of comfort Yifan offers him with opens arms, but nothing Yifan does or says eases his pain. Yifan can see it in his eyes, in the lines of his human face. He refuses to leave his human form. Even when Yifan tries to seduce him, Junmyeon asks in a quiet, broken voice that they stay as humans. And Yifan is helpless to deny him. It doesn’t do anything to lift his spirits either, only giving him a short time of something other than misery.

So, Yifan brings him outside in the hopes that the air, the cold, _something_ , will bring him happiness.

Nothing does. Junmyeon stares at the glittering snow, the gnarled branches of dormant trees, and sighs. Yifan feels his chest wrench painfully. He is utterly lost, helplessly searching for something that will stem the endless flow of despair that pours from Junmyeon like a river freshly fed by snowmelt.

“Junmyeon,” he whispers. Junmyeon frowns and looks to the sky, tears running down his cheeks. He has asked Junmyeon what ails him, what’s been shredding them both to ribbons, and received nothing more than a shrug or half of a word before Junmyeon begins to cry. He isn’t above begging for an answer if it means putting an end to _this_.

And then a soft whimper breaks the silence. Junmyeon’s head snaps toward the sound, eyes sharp for the first time in weeks. “Did you hear that?” Yifan sucks in a breath and nods.

He listens as Junmyeon breathes shakily and starts toward the source of the noise, a dark shape tucked into the roots of a tree. There’s another cry, louder this time. Junmyeon runs, kicking up snow. Yifan feels fragile hope balloon in his chest. He doesn’t understand, but Junmyeon looks almost like himself and that is more than enough for Yifan. He runs after and slows to a stop as Junmyeon kneels in the snow before the tree and cradles in his arms the dark shape, a bundle of blankets.

It whimpers once more. Yifan can only watch as Junmyeon parts the blankets and gasps. The breath comes out as a sob, hands trembling as he gently presses a fingertip to the nose of the human infant in his arms.

“A baby,” Junmyeon whispers. Yifan doesn’t think he’s ever heard Junmyeon sound quite like that before, so relieved and hopeful that he might collapse. Yifan can’t even begin to comprehend the sight before him, his mate dipping down to press his lips to the forehead of an abandoned, half-frozen human child.

Their kind simply exists. They have no parents, are not meant to become parents themselves. They grow into their maturity and stay that way for the rest of their lives. But Junmyeon is cradling this infant in his arms – Yifan can see the open adoration in his eyes.

Junmyeon looks up at Yifan with a gorgeous, blinding smile, full of joy. It’s a beautiful sight normally, but after the past weeks of nothing but misery and despair, it forces the breath from Yifan’s body.

“A baby,” Junmyeon repeats. His smile only grows as realization dawns on him. He looks back down to the infant. “ _My_ baby.”

Yifan stares at his mate kneeling before him. He feels the snow under his feet and watches it darken the fabric of Junmyeon’s pants as it melts. Junmyeon strokes along the infant’s face with one finger, cooing softly. Yifan has never, not once in his existence, considered the idea of Junmyeon with an infant. He had never considered that it may be something his mate even _wanted_. Yifan knows everything about Junmyeon. He spent centuries learning every bit of him, inside and out. And yet someone how he did not know this. He doesn’t understand how he never realized that this, this tiny, frozen creature, was something Junmyeon craved so desperately. The joy, delight, _relief_ on Junmyeon’s face is almost painful in the fact that Yifan was not the one to cause it.

All of Junmyeon’s attention is focused on the infant in his arms. It’s almost as if Yifan doesn’t exist. Something uncomfortable burns in his belly and he suddenly _needs_ Junmyeon to look at him, smile at him again. “Junmyeon,” he calls quietly.

Junmyeon only hums, too focused on tracing the lines of the infant’s face. Yifan can see the tiny creature shiver even under the cloth; Junmyeon’s smile fades and his pink fingers rest on blue-tinged lips. “He’s so cold, Yifan. Humans can’t survive the cold. We need to make him warm again.”

“The infant was likely abandoned hours ago. Let him be or end his suffering now.”

Junmyeon turns to him with something dangerously close to betrayal in his eyes. Yifan sucks in a breath and reaches out with one hand to cup his face, but he turns away and stands, tucking the infant even closer to his chest. Yifan’s chest feels as though it’s about to cave in on him and he scrambles, ever desperate for Junmyeon’s approval. “I will go to the cave,” he says without thinking, “start a fire. That would warm the infant up, wouldn’t it?”

Junmyeon nods, “Yes, _please_ , Yifan.” Yifan gives a singular nod before he dissolves into shadow and races toward the cave.

It is rare for them to start a fire in the cave. Neither of them has ever had a need for one; the blankets have always been more than adequate at keeping Junmyeon comfortably warm. Occasionally, one of them will decide that a fire would be nice to watch for a time, but there was never a _need_.

The infant _needs_ fire to stay alive though, and Junmyeon _needs_ to attempt to keep the infant alive to be happy, and Yifan _needs_ Junmyeon to be happy. So, Yifan gathers every last piece of tinder and firewood they have tucked away in the cave. It isn’t much, enough to keep a good-sized fire alive for long enough to fulfill Yifan or Junmyeon’s desire for fire – not long enough to warm the infant up though. Yifan sighs as he snaps his fingers to create a spark and lights the tinder. If Junmyeon truly wants to keep the infant alive, Yifan will have to go out into what the earth whispers is the beginnings of another blizzard and gather more firewood.

“Is it warm enough for him,” Junmyeon crawls into the cave with the infant still secure in one arm. Yifan’s breath leaves him in a rush. He hasn’t seen Junmyeon look so radiant, finally present in the moment, in so long. He offers Yifan a smile when Yifan nods and gestures to the fire crackling in the middle of the cave. “Oh, it’s perfect, Yifan.”

Yifan shifts across the cave floor to meet Junmyeon as he crawls forward. He hopes for a kiss, expects some sort of attention in return for his actions. Junmyeon passes him by with little more than a brush of ankles. Instead, Junmyeon crawls to the blankets and unwraps the infant from the cloth, whimpering as more blue-tinged skin is revealed.

“You poor thing.” Junmyeon strips off his own shirt. Yifan feels helpless to do anything but watch in confusion as his mate lifts the whimpering, shivering creature in his arms and lays him upon his chest. “I know, my love, you must be so cold. I’m here, I’ll take care of you.” Junmyeon’s warm shirt is wrapped around the infant next. He crawls closer to the fire and coos at the heat. “Yes, you’ll be warm again soon enough. _My baby_.”

“Junmyeon.” Junmyeon startles and looks up from the infant. He meets Yifan’s eyes across the fire and Yifan sees only contentment and the reflection of the flames in his eyes. There isn’t even a hint of despair left, only quiet happiness and unending devotion. Yifan’s stomach burns once more and he grimaces at the feeling.

“Yifan? Come here, sit with me – with _us_.” He beckons Yifan forward with a soft smile and a tilt of his head. Yifan needs his attention like humans need air; he hurries around the fire to settle next to him, throwing a blanket over his shoulders. “You always take such good care of me,” Junmyeon whispers and butts his head into Yifan’s chin, “and you are already taking such good care of Sehun.”

“Sehun?”

Junmyeon giggles softly and pushes away the blankets that had fallen into the infant’s face. “See? Sehun. I think it’s a lovely name for a child. Isn’t he beautiful? I prayed for him, you know. I prayed for a baby, a _human_ baby. One that I – _we_ could raise and love, and here he is. We just have to warm him up and he’ll be _perfect_. I love him so dearly already.”

Yifan can only look on in confusion and something uncomfortably similar to jealousy. Junmyeon stares at the infant – at _Sehun_ – with such reverence and adoration. Yifan has seen that look before, though it was always directed towards him. There’s something different about the way Junmyeon looks at Sehun. Yifan cannot name, does not fully understand it, but he recognizes that it’s there. Junmyeon bows his head to brush his lips along the infant’s forehead, face softening to that gorgeous smile.

The infant makes a soft noise. His fingers flex around nothing and his eyes blink up at Junmyeon in wonder. His lips are still blue, but he doesn’t even seem to be aware of the cold, too entranced by Yifan’s mate. Yifan just manages to restrain himself from baring his teeth at the infant. Junmyeon is _Yifan’s_ mate and Yifan refuses to share him.

Yifan’s skin crawls with the knowledge that he likely does not have a choice in the matter. Junmyeon has always been strong-willed, stronger than Yifan, and it’s painfully clear that he wants to keep the infant.

“Would you like to hold him after he’s warm,” Junmyeon asks as he turns to look at Yifan with a smile. Happiness shines out of his very being. Yifan feels as though he’s being torn apart, the need to make Junmyeon happy at war with the need to have him all to himself. “The way he feels in your arms…it’s like nothing else. I would hold him forever if I could.”

Yifan shakes his head, hoping that his slowly brewing anger is read as apprehension. Junmyeon has always been better at understanding emotion than Yifan, but he’s so enamored with Sehun that he only spares Yifan and sympathetic nod of his head. He hums softly, one fingertip resting against one of the infant’s cheeks. It turns its head, rooting around for a nipple and milk. “You’ll hold him soon though, won’t you? I want him to know his fathers. You’re so careful, Yifan, you would never drop him or hold him too tightly.”

Doing harm to the infant is the least of Yifan’s concerns.

Junmyeon is happy. All Yifan has wanted for so long is for Junmyeon to be happy again. Sehun is making Junmyeon happier than he’s been in months – years, if Junmyeon has truly been hiding this desire for a child like he said. That should be enough. Yifan feels as though he should be throwing himself into his new role as Sehun’s parent because it makes Junmyeon so happy. But Yifan is selfish, _he_ wants to be the reason Junmyeon is happy, not some fragile, temporary, human infant.

Jealousy is a poison in his mouth. It makes him want to spit, to grab the infant and throw it out of the cave. He would never though, because Junmyeon is singing to Sehun; the air around him sparkles as his joy becomes too much for his human form to contain. Junmyeon has always been more important to Yifan than anything else.

“I’ll find something for him to eat. Infants drink milk, yes?”

Junmyeon looks up from Sehun. Yifan feels himself soften under the devotion in Junmyeon’s eyes, the same devotion from the day they promised themselves to each other. He reaches out with one hand and Yifan takes it in both of his own. Desperate for his attention, Yifan leans into Junmyeon’s space and tries to pretend that he can’t hear Sehun’s quiet snuffling. Then he looks down and sees the infant staring back at him, lips, nose, ears, and fingertips a bright, angry red.

Yifan presses his lips to Junmyeon’s. “Yes, that’s correct. Only milk from other humans but milk all the same. Thank you, Yifan. I don’t know why I never told you that I wanted a child, I should have known you would feel the same.” Junmyeon’s voice is soft and dreamy, gentle and so full of an emotion Yifan doesn’t want to name because it’s not one that their kind is meant to feel.

“I’ll return as quickly as I can, Junmyeon.” He ignores the rest of Junmyeon’s words. If he doesn’t address them, he won’t have to tell Junmyeon about the jealousy and resentment in his chest, won’t risk ruining Junmyeon’s happiness.

He tries to disappear into the shadows before Junmyeon can say anything else. Yifan isn’t sure how much more of Junmyeon showering the infant in attention he can take. As he leaves, he hears Junmyeon’s sweet voice cooing down at Sehun, “I can see that you like him, Sehun, yes. He’s your father. He loves you just as much as I do.”

* * *

 

Yifan hasn't been able to sleep well in weeks. Nights pass on his back, staring up at the cave ceiling and listening to Junmyeon's soft, even breathing. Sehun coos in his sleep, quiet noises that Junmyeon sleeps through but keep Yifan awake.

Yifan doesn't begrudge Sehun his noises – all creatures make some sort of noise as they sleep, even if it's just the near silence of breathing. He thinks that he may even be able to sleep through them if he wasn't exiled to the edge of the bed. He used to sleep curled around Junmyeon's body or with Junmyeon's head on his chest, always entangled in each other.

Sehun sleeps between them now. For such a tiny human, he takes up so much space that it feels as though there's a canyon between Yifan and his mate.

Junmyeon told him that if the space between them bothered him so much, he could easily pick Sehun up and put the infant to sleep on his chest. Sehun will sleep anywhere warm and soft; Junmyeon knows from experience how comfortable Yifan's chest is. _"I wouldn't be surprised if he fell asleep faster there than on the blanket."_

It's likely another ploy to attempt to get Yifan to bond with the infant. Spring has finally come and they've moved to their warm weather cave, but Yifan still refuses to hold Sehun. He fetches milk, clean cloth for his diapers, anything Junmyeon asks of him, but that is the extent of his interactions. Yifan knows it upsets Junmyeon when he refuses to take Sehun or even touch the back of his tiny, chubby hand. He wants Yifan to care for Sehun as much as he does – it's simply impossible.

The infant takes up every single second of Junmyeon's time, not even leaving scraps of attention for Yifan, and jealousy fills Yifan's body like a poison.

He spends most of his time outside of the cave so he won't have to see Junmyeon fawn over Sehun. Junmyeon is _Yifan's._ Yifan has spent centuries taking care of him, devoting all of his time and energy to Junmyeon's happiness. Then Sehun appears, helpless and demanding, and it's almost as if Yifan doesn't exist anymore.

Yifan sits at the bank of a river far, far away from the cave. The fish splash and play in the slowly warming water. A doe and her fawn exit the brush on the opposite side of the river and dip their heads down for a drink. The fawn wobbles on weak legs. The doe makes a soft, gentle sound and nuzzles their heads together.

The sight makes Yifan want to yell. He doesn't, because Junmyeon would surely hear him, but he wants to. It isn't fair that he's been tossed aside in favor of weak, useless, little human.

Even Junmyeon's happiness isn't enough to soothe him, not when the acid of jealousy burns him from the inside out.

"You can't keep doing this." Yifan startles out of his thoughts and nearly topples forward into the river. Luhan laughs from where he'd settled beside Yifan on the riverbank, smirking as he adjusts the crown on his head.

Yifan calms himself. It's rare that Luhan ventures out from his own realm deep in the heart of the forest, but it's been known to happen when he has something important to tell Yifan – when Minseok demands him to make Yifan stop being a fool.

"And what is it that I'm doing?"

Luhan leans back on his palms and hums as the sun shines down on his face. "Hurting Junmyeon. Minseok is ready to have your head for it."

Yifan scoffs, "Hurting Junmyeon? I would rather die, Luhan, you know this." He would sooner rip himself to shreds than allow harm to come to a single hair on his mate's head.

"And yet you're hurting him, hiding out in the forest instead of supporting him," Luhan levels him with a look. Yifan frowns and looks out to the river, glaring at the doe and fawn that have settled down to rest just across the river. "Infants are demanding creatures, Yifan, and he hasn't had time to rest in weeks. He needs help, _your_ help."

Guilt forms a pit in his gut. His hands curl into fists in the dirt. He's noticed the tiredness in Junmyeon's eyes, the way it takes him a few more seconds to respond to Sehun's cries. He knew that Junmyeon kept trying to get him to hold the infant because he wanted to rest just as much as he wanted Yifan and Sehun to bond. He just hadn't wanted to know it, because then he'd have to push aside his own feelings and do something to help take care of the creature that was ruining his life.

Luhan sighs, mouth curving into a sympathetic smile as if he can read Yifan's mind. "I understand that you're jealous, but you have to accept that Sehun isn't going to just disappear. Junmyeon cares for him _and_ for you. And the only way you're going to get any of his time is if you free some of it up for him by helping care for Sehun."

"I know."

"Then do it."

Yifan nods in acquiescence. As much as it pains him, he has to admit that he has been a poor mate to Junmyeon. He'd let his jealousy cloud his better judgement and Junmyeon, the reason for his very being, had suffered for it.

Luhan disappears into a pile of leaves that blow up into the sky, riding the wind back to his realm. The breeze ruffles Yifan's hair and startles the fawn awake. It looks around in fear for a moment before the doe raises its own head to lick the fawns head and soothe it back to sleep. Yifan sighs to himself before standing, brushing the dirt off his body, and starting the walk back to the cave.

Junmyeon is sitting near the entrance with Sehun when Yifan arrives, frowning, exhaustion written into the lines of his face. He looks up as Yifan walks in and offers a weak smile. Sehun shifts around in Junmyeon's arms, whining and kicking at the blanket wrapped around him.

Yifan's heart twists as Junmyeon's shoulders slump. "What is it, Sehun? What do you need," he asks, voice thin with exhaustion.

Yifan drops to his knees in front of Junmyeon and holds out his arms. "I'll take him, Junmyeon."

Junmyeon's eyebrows raise in surprise. "Really?" Yifan nods, murmurs that Junmyeon needs to rest, and does his best to scoop the infant out of Junmyeon's arms. He has to look away from Junmyeon's face to make sure he doesn't drop Sehun, and when he looks back up, there are tears in Junmyeon's eyes. "Thank you, Yifan. I'm so _tired_."

"I know. And I am sorry that I never helped before. Go rest, I'll take him on a walk outside." It's hard for Yifan to be jealous when Junmyeon grabs him by shoulders and pulls him in for a kiss – the first kiss they've had in what feels like centuries. "I would devour you," Yifan whispers, voice rough like rocks in his throat.

Junmyeon smiles, one hand slipping down to adjust Sehun's blankets. "And I would let you." Then softer, in human language, "I love you, _both_ of you, more than anything in the world."

Part of Yifan aches at having to share Junmyeon's love, even if love isn't something Yifan truly understands, but it's buried by the relief in Junmyeon's eyes as he crawls over to the bed of fur, leaves, and blankets and lies down to rest.

He looks down at Sehun then, blinking when the infant reaches up with one tiny arm to grab at Yifan's face. "You're a very strange creature," Yifan says quietly. Sehun blinks at the sound as his eyes fill with wonder and he gurgles back. Yifan pokes at Sehun's hand with one finger, surprised when his finger is grabbed and held as tightly as the infant can manage.

Sehun is big enough for Yifan to hold on his hip, and he squeals with what Yifan can only hope is glee as he's tipped upright. He doesn't let go of Yifan's finger, just shoves his other hand in his mouth and watches the world with bright eyes.

Junmyeon giggles, "I haven't done that with him before. I think he likes it. Are you having fun with your father, Sehunnie?"

Yifan isn't sure how he feels about being called Sehun's father. He isn't sure how he feels about holding Sehun or anything about this strange situation, but Junmyeon is smiling so tenderly at him from the bed. His attention is _finally_ focused on Yifan again. So, despite Yifan's apprehension and uncertainty, he smiles back and adjusts Sehun to sit more securely on his hip; he would do anything to make Junmyeon happy.

* * *

 

The walks become routine. Every afternoon, Yifan takes Sehun from Junmyeon's arms and walks him around the forest until the infant falls asleep.

Yifan suffers through Sehun's company the first few days. The infant is constantly making noise, babbling, blowing bubbles in his own spit, and reaching for things he shouldn't touch. It's hard for Yifan to stomach. Annoyance simmers under his skin when Sehun screams because Yifan won't let him shove his arm into a rosebush. He doesn't understand how Junmyeon managed to deal with the infant by himself for so long.

With the added rest, Junmyeon brightens and blooms until he's as radiant as he was the day Yifan first saw him. He sings to Sehun again, holds him up on his hip as he dances around the cave. Yifan watches on, leaning against the cave wall, with a strange sense of contentment. He reaches one hand out to brush his fingertips against Junmyeon's ankle as he dances – the smile he receives sends his contentment teetering into happiness.

He tries to hold Sehun more often throughout the day to give Junmyeon a few moments to relax or think about anything other than the infant. He doesn't disappear like a coward anymore, and Junmyeon seems all the better for it.

Weeks pass of Yifan wandering through the forest with a human infant in his arms. Sehun is curious, more intelligent than Yifan had ever believed possible. He learns very quickly that rosebushes aren't for touching, but that Yifan will pick the thorns off of a rose for him if he whines enough.

Yifan respects that sort of intelligence. It's a very useful kind of intelligence for a human to have, especially when they're as helpless as Sehun.

Junmyeon always smiles when Yifan returns from his walk with Sehun asleep against his chest. He will take the child from him and settle him in the bed before crawling into Yifan's arms himself. Yifan craves those moments. It soothes the jealousy that likes to make itself at home in Yifan's stomach when he wakes to an empty bed, Junmyeon already up and feeding Sehun breakfast.

Those moments when Yifan can hold Junmyeon close and reassure himself of his place in his mate's life are so endlessly valuable. He savors them, presses soft, lingering kisses to Junmyeon's mouth, and showers him in affection.

Some days, when Yifan is feeling particularly comfortable and secure, he will be the one to pick up Sehun when the child wakes from his nap. He wonders if Sehun can sense the peace in the cave on those days; he is always significantly more pleasant, rarely fussing or whining. There a few moments when Yifan can begin to get an idea of why Junmyeon wanted him so badly.

One day, Sehun reaches for Yifan from Junmyeon's lap in the middle of a conversation. Yifan blinks in surprise, sentence dropping off into silence as the child whines and grabs for him, chubby fists opening and closing.

"I think he's ready for your walk," Junmyeon says with a smile. Morning sun shines in through the mouth of the cave and illuminates the excitement in his eyes, the same emotion mirrored in Sehun's face.

Yifan wonders what it means, if it means anything at all, that he takes Sehun without question. He shifts onto his knees and reaches out to grab Sehun under the arms and pull him close. The child coos in delight, tucking his face into Yifan's neck.

"Is that what you want, child? A walk?"

Sehun looks up at the word and smiles with his toothless gums.

"You're going to want two today then, aren't you," Yifan sighs even as he rises to his feet. Sehun doesn't answer, but he does do his best to cuddle in close and gives a sigh of his own – much happier than Yifan's.

"I might go for a walk of my own."

Yifan looks up. Warmth blooms in his chest as he watches Junmyeon stretch in the morning light. He looks so beautiful that Yifan wants to – devour seems too harsh of a word now. It is their way, the word their kind use to express the deepest level of affection, but it doesn't seem like the right word to use. The desire in his chest is too complex for him to name, so he simply smiles.

Junmyeon crouches down before him and leans into kiss Sehun's cheek. "If I visit Minseok, I may not return before you. Is that alright?" Yifan nods; Sehun is an easy child when he's happy, and he is _always_ happy after a walk.

Junmyeon smiles, more beautiful than the first snow of winter or the last leaves of autumn. He cups Yifan's face in his hands and pulls him in for a kiss. "You are the most perfect mate I could have ever wished for," he whispers against Yifan's lips, "a perfect mate, a perfect father. I love you, Yifan."

"And I, you." Yifan thinks that he's beginning to understand what Junmyeon means.

* * *

 

The cave wall is hard and rough against Yifan’s back. There’s an area between his shoulder blades where a particularly sharp rock is jutting out from the cave wall and digging into his flesh. If he wanted, he could shift over to a more comfortable section of the wall or forget being upright entirely and crawl over to the bed, but Sehun is napping on the bed and Junmyeon is resting comfortably against Yifan’s chest. Despite the discomfort of the cave wall, there is not a single part of Yifan that wishes to move.

“I feel as though we haven’t had time to ourselves in so long,” Junmyeon says. His head tips back so that he can look Yifan in the eye; somehow, a few strands of hair fall into his eyes and Yifan gently pushes them away so he can lean down and kiss his mate’s forehead. Junmyeon hums in satisfaction and the sound makes Yifan feel complete. “I miss being with you, Yifan.”

“And I miss my time with you.” It’s strange though, how he doesn’t miss that time nearly as much as he used to. He still craves Junmyeon’s undivided attention – there will never be a time when he doesn’t. The bitter feelings from when they first took in Sehun have faded though.

Yifan has finally capitulated and started pulling Sehun up onto his chest at night, which means that Junmyeon is free to sleep pressed against his side. When Sehun naps, they spend time curled up together just like this or lying in the grass just outside the cave. Yifan finds the amount of attention he is able to give and receive from Junmyeon acceptable. He will _always_ want more, want time alone with his mate to lie in a field, race through the trees, or any number of things they cannot do in the presence of a child. “But if we run off together, who will look after Sehun,” he asks. “He’ll get into trouble if we aren’t here to watch him.”

He isn’t sure what he would do if Sehun got hurt.

Something curious flashes across Junmyeon’s eyes and he sits up, turning around to straddle Yifan’s legs. Yifan blinks in confusion for a moment before arms wrap around his neck and he’s being pulled into a kiss.

“That is not fair, Yifan,” Junmyeon murmurs against his lips. Confusion makes him stare dumbly at Junmyeon, hands settled on his hips.

“What,” he asks.

Junmyeon’s mouth turns up into a playful, seductive smile. Yifan cannot remember the last time they were able to have sex between Junmyeon’s previous depression and caring for Sehun and he is suddenly, painfully reminded of the deprivation. Junmyeon’s fingers card through his hair, pushing it away from his face and then grabbing hold to pull him in for another kiss. “Do you not know how irresistible you are? You would refuse even the _idea_ of time together to make sure that our son is cared for.”

Yifan’s grip tightens on Junmyeon’s hips, fingers slipping under the fabric of his shirt to brush against soft skin. He doesn’t have anything to say in response, just a desire to have Junmyeon closer. He wants to wrap himself up in his mate just as he used to. There is nothing stopping him from picking Junmyeon up and carrying him out of the cave to a field not far away. No creature of the forest would dare enter their cave uninvited; Yifan and Junmyeon would be close enough to hear Sehun cry.

It just doesn’t feel right though, leaving Sehun alone for something as simple as pleasure.

Yifan placates himself with kisses instead. He soaks up the attention with a content smile and hums softly against Junmyeon’s lips. He breaks away once to trail kisses along Junmyeon’s cheek and up to his forehead. It makes Junmyeon giggle and the sound reverberates off the cave wall.

Sehun wakes with cry. It happened often enough when he was just a tiny thing wrapped in cloth, helpless in every way and bursting into tears if Junmyeon wasn’t the first thing he saw. As the seasons changed and Sehun grew, it became a rarity that came on the wings of thunderstorms. Summer is as nurturing as it is destructive, and so Yifan and Junmyeon have been startled awake in the middle of the night by Sehun’s cries more and more, but the shock of it never eases. Now, with the sky a gentle blue and the earth giving not even a single whisper of a storm on the horizon, the sound of Sehun’s distress startles Yifan so badly that he slams his head into the cave wall; Junmyeon accidently throws himself off Yifan’s lap.

The shock only worsens when they realize that Sehun is crying out of _pain_ and not fear from a bad dream. Junmyeon reacts first, crawling across the cave to pull Sehun into his lap. The child doesn’t even seem to register that he’s being held, drool, tears, and snot dripping down his face as he shoves nearly his entire hand in his mouth.

“What’s wrong, my love, please tell me,” Junmyeon whispers. Yifan settles at his side and presses gentle fingers along Sehun’s body in search of an injury. There is no telling wince or pitching of his cries though, and desperation settles like a weight on Yifan’s chest. Sehun calms as Junmyeon continues to speak. His tears slow and he stares up at Junmyeon and Yifan with big, terrified eyes.

Yifan moves to wipe away the tears left on his cheeks. He has to fight for each breath against a wave of worry. He cannot think of a time when he has ever heard Sehun sound like this – perhaps the first night, as his little body slowly pulled itself back from the brink of death and nerves that had been numbed by the cold sparked back to life. As Yifan’s fingers brush against the tacky skin of the child’s face, he feels a strange urge to pull Sehun’s hand from his mouth.

Sehun fights him for a moment, grunting in protest. “Let him be. He’s already upset,” Junmyeon’s soft voice scolds him. It only takes one more gentle pull though, and then Sehun’s mouth is empty. Yifan is quick to push his mouth open further and looks inside.

He isn’t sure what he expects to find. Part of him expects splinters or bits of sharp grass, another expects signs of a bug bite. Instead, Yifan sees a raised bump along his bottom gum. He runs a finger along it and smiles softly as Sehun bites down. “Ah, I see.”

“What is it? Do not just say, ‘Ah, I see,’ and then not explain yourself, Yifan! Our son is in pain and I have very little patience for games.”

Yifan looks up in shock. He cannot remember the last time Junmyeon snapped at him. Truthfully, he isn’t sure if his mate has _ever_ spoken to him that way. “Junmyeon, Sehun is simply cutting his first tooth.”

“Oh,” Junmyeon’s ears turn pink, “I see.” He uses the edge of his shirt to wipe away some of the child’s drool. Then, he leans over and presses a kiss to Yifan’s cheek in what feels like an apology. When Yifan reaches for Sehun, Junmyeon hands him over without a word. Sehun doesn’t complain either, simply watches Yifan and gnaws on the finger in his mouth.

Slowly, Yifan pulls the warmth back from his finger, a trick Minseok taught him so many decades ago. Minseok has always had an affinity for temperatures and Yifan has always loved learning new tricks; he isn’t sure he has ever learned a trick quite as useful as this. Relief washes over Sehun’s face. He lets out a sigh and lists against Yifan’s chest.

“That’s better, isn’t it? No more tears, Sehun.” Sehun sniffles but doesn’t cry anymore. Instead, his eyes slip shut and Yifan uses his free hand to cover his eyes and block out the afternoon sun. “Let’s finish your nap,” he says. The bed rustles underneath his back as he shifts into a comfortable position on his back. Junmyeon is quick to follow, pressing himself along Yifan’s side and rest his head on his shoulder.

Sehun drifts into a peaceful slumber soon after Junmyeon’s fingers begin rubbing up and down his back. Yifan can’t help but watch with a smile as the mouth sucking at his finger goes slack.

“You know,” Junmyeon whispers, “he’ll be in pain for a few more days as he cuts this tooth.” Yifan nods. It takes time for human infants to finish cutting their first tooth; it seems that way from what he’s heard of the human women he’s appeared before and questioned regarding what their own children did as they grew. “And then he’ll be cutting the rest of them in not too long. Babies have fewer teeth than adults, but they still have quite a few. You will have to be his toy for at least the rest of this season.” Yifan nods again.

There isn’t really any other choice. If Yifan doesn’t help Sehun, the child will be in pain – that simply isn’t an option. Yifan isn’t sure how to voice that urge to protect, to care for and coddle, without making a fool of himself or getting lost in his own head. And so, he simply cranes his neck down to kiss Sehun’s forehead and says, “Whatever he needs.”

* * *

 

Winter returns to the forest quietly. Yifan only notices it encroaching upon their piece of the world because Sehun is fascinated by the changing of the leaves. Nearly every walk in autumn ended with Yifan capitulating to his baby’s soft whines and clutching fists and plucking a red, orange, or yellow leaf off a branch for him. Sehun has quite the collection now; he’s very proud of it too, crawling across the cave to show Junmyeon or Yifan at least once a day.

They moved back to the winter cave early in the season, before the last leaves had fallen. The forest was whispering about a coming storm and Junmyeon wanted to make sure Sehun was somewhere protected from the wind and snow before it came.

And the snow came with fury and violence, covering the forest in its entirety. Storm after storm came until the cold infected the cave; Junmyeon bartered more blankets from Minseok and Yifan gathered more firewood than he ever thought he would. Most days were spent wrapped around Sehun to keep him warm and happy. Sehun grows over the season, babbling to himself and showing signs of an intelligence Yifan would have never expected from a baby.

As the last of the snow melts and spring finally returns, Sehun takes his first steps.

“I think it would be wise if we found him real toys to play with,” Junmyeon says. He rolls a particularly round rock across the cave. Sehun squeals and clambers off Yifan’s lap to chase after it. The thick material covering his knees thuds against the stone floor. It had been Yifan’s idea to get him pants with padding – cave floors are unforgiving to soft knees. “I know he loves this game, but I’d like for him to have a doll, something other human children play with.”

Yifan simply hums and lies down with his head resting on Junmyeon’s thigh. “We’re moving back to the spring cave soon. We can take him to the river – or he could always chase squirrels.” He looks up at his mate with a smile. Junmyeon pouts back at him. “He enjoys chasing after things, at least a squirrel would make it hard.”

A hand slips into Yifan’s hair to scratch as his scalp and he sighs, eyes slipping shut. “You know, you’re nearly as needy as Sehun sometimes.” Yifan smirks and pushes up into Junmyeon’s touch. He fails to see that as an issue. Yifan is happy to know that their son knows the value of Junmyeon’s attention.

“Sehun is a smart boy.” Yifan cracks an eye open to see the baby’s head snap up from where he’d been enamored with the rock, looking back at the sound of his name. “Yes, you,” Yifan smiles and holds out a hand, “You’re much smarter than any other human infant, I’m sure of it.” He isn’t quite sure how many words Sehun understands, but he is certain that he understands tone and he has long since learned that Yifan’s tone now guarantees affection.

“Come,” Yifan calls.

“Come to Papa,” Junmyeon holds one hand out to him and wiggles his fingers. Sehun giggles and smiles at them with his new teeth. Yifan thinks that he’ll be cutting a new one very soon if the way drool runs down his chin is any indication.

He drops his rock and reaches back toward them with both hands. “Papa!” He started calling out to Junmyeon mid-season, but the sound of his tiny voice still make Yifan’s heart skip a beat.

Junmyeon hums a little song of joy. “Yes, come to Papa, my love!”

And then, brow furrowing in determination, Sehun puts both hands on the ground and begins to push himself up.

Yifan startles up and off Junmyeon’s lap, scrambling to his knees. “Is he – ”

“I-I’m not sure. The humans you spoke to said he would start to walk as he reached his first year – have we really had him for so long?”

Yifan wants to look at Junmyeon, see the emotions that must be flashing across his face. Having Sehun has always been for Junmyeon’s benefit, to make Junmyeon happy. Sehun’s first steps will make Junmyeon so unbelievably happy. Still, Yifan cannot look at Junmyeon, because if he looks away, he might miss his son’s _first steps_.

Sehun stands on wobbling legs and nearly tips over, but he manages a single step and uses that momentum to take another and another. Yifan has seen realms no mortal creature could ever dream of, bore witness to the creation of humanity itself. None of it compares to the the sight of Sehun’s first steps. As he watches, pride bubbles up in his chest until he feels as though he’ll burst. He may not have created Sehun, but he is Yifan and Junmyeon’s child and Yifan cares for him all the same.

He catches Sehun as soon as his slow, shaky steps bring him close enough. “Sehun,” he whispers. Junmyeon is nearly exploding with joy, laughing and clapping his hands together even as he presses quick kisses to Sehun’s cheeks. Yifan can only watch in stunned, speechless silence as Sehun’s cheeks flush pink under all the attention.

“He _walked_ , Yifan, can you believe it? I am so proud of you, Sehunnie! So, so proud! You are growing so quickly and so well. Yo-you – I love you so much. Papa loves you so much. Can I hold him, my love?” Yifan lets Junmyeon take Sehun without a word.

He watches as Junmyeon dances around the cave with Sehun in his arms, singing a song in their own language. It sounds strange after nearly a year of only speaking in human language, but Sehun seems to love it. He squeals, the sound high and glorious as it rings in Yifan’s ears. “Yifan,” Junmyeon calls in their language, “come dance with us! This deserves celebration!” There is a pause in the sounds of joy as Yifan pushes himself to his feet and crosses to where Sehun and Junmyeon are watching him with near identical looks of concern. “Love, are you crying? Why? What’s wrong?”

Yifan shakes his head. There isn’t anything wrong. He cups Sehun’s tiny face in his hands, so small and fragile – his fragile child who means more to him than anything else. The child he has watched grow for a year, spent countless days carrying on walks, and held through miserable nights.

He thinks he is beginning to understand why Junmyeon wanted a child so badly. He thinks he is beginning to understand many things.

Yifan smiles and kisses Sehun’s forehead, “I am so _proud_ of you, my love.”

* * *

 

Yifan stretches out his body, limbs longer out of his human form. He hasn’t been able to take on this form in so long, since before they found Sehun, but it comes naturally. His arms and legs lengthen, joints popping and muscles stretching pleasantly. Junmyeon has suggested shifting forms in front of Sehun; Yifan know that it would be good for Sehun to learn to trust their true forms at an early age, but he worries that the sight will frighten him. He has seen how humans react to the sight of his kind outside of their human disguises. He never wants Sehun to be afraid of him.

Soon they will have to tell him about what they are, likely before the end of his second year, but knowing Yifan and Junmyeon aren’t human is so much different than _seeing_ it. Junmyeon has tried to assure him that Sehun will know them, _love_ them, no matter what form they take, but the fear still lingers.

There is no fear now. Yifan makes his way through the forest without any disguise. Squirrels, birds, and deer watch him curiously from where they’ve stopped at the last normal tree, chittering amongst themselves. They have never had any reason to fear him, nor has any other creature that resides in the brighter parts of the forest where seasons take hold and the sun gives life. It’s the imps, the ancient lamia, all the creatures that thirst for power and the blood of humans that hide like cowards in the shadows of dead, hollowed trees and endless night.

Yifan grins to himself and feels as his lips slide over sharp teeth. The creatures that hide in the shadows hide in his domain. They are under _his_ rule and bend to _his_ will.

He told Junmyeon as much to soothe his worries after Sehun began to walk and they had to accept that their son would one day walk the forest on his own. In their part of the forest, there is not a single creature that would hunt a human. Here, where Yifan’s territory meets Luhan’s realm, it is not nearly as safe – not yet.

“Come out,” Yifan snarls as he stands and stretches to his full height. “I will not repeat myself.”

Slowly, hesitantly, creatures crawl out from the shadows and down from the trees. They are dark, twisted things, some humans that were cursed to hide in the dark for all eternity, others, creatures that were born much the same way Yifan and Junmyeon were. Yifan doesn’t care what they look like or how they came to be. Their well-being means nothing to him when measured against that of his mate and child.

The thought of Sehun napping in bed with Junmyeon at his side, warms Yifan from the inside out, grin softening into something genuine. Sehun is likely curled around the cloth cat toy Junmyeon received from a human village. He adores that toy, even taking it out on his and Yifan’s walks. Yifan doesn’t mind, not if it makes Sehun happy.

Yifan stalks around the creatures, crowding them together. They all watch him with wary eyes, the few that can procreate pushing their young closer to the middle of the group for safety. He speaks slowly, letting every word hang in the air for a moment. He needs to be sure that even the most primitive of creatures understand that his word is absolute; this is their only warning. “If a human child enters from the forest, he is to be driven to Luhan and Minseok’s castle or back into the forest – do _not_ touch him.”

If any harm comes to Sehun because of one of the creatures living in the dark, Yifan will rip the entire dead, decaying forest to pieces.

It will be years until he’s old enough for Yifan and Junmyeon to even _think_ of letting him walk so far into the forest on his own, but Yifan hasn’t been able to fully rest since Junmyeon mentioned the danger that lurks beyond their bright, lovely piece of the world. Now, with the lamia and all the other creatures that crave human flesh nodding solemnly, he feels as though he can finally relax. He will still have to caution Sehun, arm him with some sort of weapon or whistle to call for help, but there is a sort of a calmness to those thoughts.

Yifan gives a curt nod and waves a hand for the creatures to disperse back to whatever it is they do. He shifts into wind and shadow, racing back through the forest to return home.

Yifan stops not far from the cave. The forest is still mostly a blur as his body adapts to the sudden stop and the return of his human form, but Yifan doesn’t need to see to know that the bush in front of him grows Sehun and Junmyeon’s favorite berries. “The walk shouldn’t take too long,” he murmurs to himself as he pulls up the hem of his shirt to create a little basket. “Sehunnie would be so happy to wake up to his favorite snack.”

It is plainly obvious to Yifan that Sehun loves Junmyeon more. Junmyeon is his Papa, was the one who saved him so long ago, the one who cared for him until Yifan finally stopped acting like a child. Now, Yifan goes to sleep each night certain he cannot love Sehun any more and wakes each morning to find that he does. He loves both Junmyeon and Sehun so much that he wouldn’t be surprised to discover that his heart only beats because they exist.

Still, Sehun loves Junmyeon more and Yifan doesn’t blame him. Even if he is a bit jealous when Sehun calls Junmyeon ‘ _Papa’_ and only ever points a finger or tugs at Yifan’s clothes to address him, he understands that Junmyeon was there when Yifan refused to be. Yifan is simply happy that Sehun loves him at all.

Yifan’s ears ring as he grabs a handful of berries off the bush. His heart begins to race, panic descends on him like a sudden storm, and it takes him a moment to even understand why until the ringing in his ears sharpens into what can only be Sehun’s scream.

He drops the berries and runs. His feet fly across the forest floor. It takes barely a few heartbeats for the cave to come into view, and with it, Minseok and Luhan standing outside it. Sehun is in Minseok’s arms, seemingly unhurt, but his face is bright red and he’s crying, _screaming,_ as though he’s dying. “Papa,” he sobs, big, fat tears rolling down his cheeks as he tries to push his way out of Minseok’s arms, “Papa! Papa!”

Luhan is the first one to see Yifan as he sprints out of the trees. “Finally,” his entire body sags in relief, “Minseok, hand him the child.”

Yifan doesn’t wait for Minseok to even notice that he’s there, pulling Sehun from his arms and tightly clutching him to his own chest. Sehun screams louder and his eyes squeeze shut in distress. “Sehun,” Yifan whispers, “Sehunnie, what’s wrong? Are you hurt? Why are you screaming, my love?” He bounces Sehun in his arms, pressing kisses along his forehead and cheeks.

“He’s fine,” Minseok says, “just frightened that neither you nor Junmyeon were here when he woke up. He likes Luhan and I just fine when one of you are here and we’re all playing, but he doesn’t want us anywhere near otherwise.” He chuckles as though it’s a joke; Yifan fails to find anything humorous.

“I am so sorry. Papa had to go to the humans again, didn’t he? If I had known, I wouldn’t have gone. You were so frightened, weren’t you?” Sehun hiccups at the sound of Yifan’s voice and stares up at him, body going slack in relief. Little arms wind around Yifan’s neck and Sehun’s cries soften. “There we go. You’re alright, Sehun, I’m here.” Twin breezes blow as Luhan and Minseok disappear back to their realm, but Yifan hardly notices. “I’m here,” he says again, staring down at his son and feeling as they both begin the slow process of calming down. “Everything is alright, Sehunnie. You’re always safe with me.”

Sehun sniffles and rubs his tear-streaked face on Yifan’s shirt. Then, he looks back up and babbles something that sounds like _Papa_. Yifan blames the slurred words on tears and distress.

“No,” Yifan chuckles, “Papa’s not here yet, but he will be soon. And then maybe we can all go on a walk and grab you some of those berries you love so much.” He thought that the mention of a walk or berries would smooth out the furrow in Sehun’s brow, but all he does is repeat the word again. Yifan’s chest stings at the rejection but he smiles, “I know you want Papa, but I will do for now, right?”

As if Yifan summoned him, Junmyeon appears from around the side of the cave, feet and legs shining with river water. “I could hear him crying from the human village and I ran as fast as I could. Is he alright?”

Yifan nods. “He didn’t enjoy waking up to Minseok and Luhan. He seems to be feeling a bit better now that they’re gone, but he wants you.”

“Yes, I heard him,” Junmyeon winces, “I’m sorry, my love. Sehun loves you too, you know.” Yifan goes to hand Sehun over to Junmyeon, telling himself not to be jealous of his mate for being their son’s favorite. He isn’t sure if it’s working, but he’s trying.

“No,” Sehun squeezes Yifan’s neck, “ _Baba!_ No Papa. Baba.”

Yifan freezes and blinks down at Sehun, whose face is still red even as his tears are drying. Junmyeon gasps and then laughs, pushing himself up on his toes to kiss Yifan’s cheek. “I don’t think I was the father he was calling for, Yifan.”

“You were calling for me,” Yifan whispers. Sehun nods and repeats himself, the word muffled as he tucks his face against Yifan’s neck. The shock makes him feel a bit stiff, but he holds Sehun tighter and rocks him from side-to-side. “You don’t need to cry, Baba’s here. Baba and Papa will _always_ be here.”

Junmyeon cups Yifan’s cheeks and pulls him into a kiss. Yifan is still reeling, but he smiles into the kiss and feels joy unlike anything he has ever known begin to bloom in his chest, filling him with warmth from the inside out. “I love you,” he says to no one in particular. It could be to Sehun or it could be to Junmyeon; it doesn’t matter because he loves them both. He loves them both so much that he would move mountains if only to make them smile.

Sehun’s breathing has evened out and he seems content to just be held. He accepts Junmyeon’s kiss to his forehead happily, smiling around the fabric of Yifan’s shirt as he chews on it.

“And I, you.” Junmyeon reaches up and tucks some of Yifan’s hair behind his ear. Then, he does the same to Sehun’s hair that has been growing uninterrupted for over a year. His eyes are so soft, so full of love and care. “Why don’t you take Sehun on a walk for a bit, hm? I am sure he would like some time with Baba.” Sehun nods furiously, making excited noises and repeating _Baba_ over and over as though he knows what it does to Yifan’s heart.

“No,” Yifan says. He shifts Sehun to one arm and reaches for Junmyeon with the other. “I want you to come as well. Would you like that, Sehunnie, for Papa to come on the walk with us?”

“Papa,” Sehun nods, “Baba. Papa Baba.”

Junmyeon smiles, bright and beautiful. He is just as breathtaking as he was when Yifan met him so long ago – even more so now that Yifan can see the love pouring out of him with every breath. “Alright, I’ll come as well. I haven’t been on a walk with you two before though. Will our Sehunnie show me the way?” Sehun squeals and launches into a string of babbled nonsense, all the distress and tears from moments ago forgotten.

Yifan laughs to himself and kisses Sehun’s forehead. He leans down and kisses Junmyeon just one more time. Love fills him from the bottom of his feet to the very top of his head, fills him so full he thinks he may burst, and yet he knows that he will love these two even more before the sun sets this evening.

Yifan takes Junmyeon’s hand, adjusts Sehun so that he’s sitting more comfortably, and walks into the light.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you liked it, please leave a kudos and a comment! If you'd like to read more of my works or come talk to me on SNS, check back here after I'm revealed for links!


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